Good morning. How did you sleep?
Are you energized and ready to go this morning? Or are you feeling sluggish and tired? If you are looking for ways to increase your energy in the morning, these tips can help you start your day the way you want and be more productive all day long.
Confession. I am Meghan, and I am not a morning person. I come from a long line of night owls. When I was in high school, it was not uncommon for my family to eat dinner after 7pm. Now, my whole family stays up much later than I do. My mom will often text me hours after I fell asleep. Luckily, I am a hard sleeper, and it doesn’t affect me.
I’m not going to say it was easy, but I can now wake up at 5am without feeling exceedingly groggy and am able and ready to get through my day. If you are a hopeless night owl who really needs to become an early bird, I can help. These ideas can help you wake up with more energy even without coffee.
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What is a morning routine?
Every morning when you wake up, you have a choice. A choice of how to start your day and what you are going to get done. A morning routine is a set of steps that help you wake up and get started in the morning. It will help you to start your day with healthy steps that give you energy and boost your productivity.
If you would like to start your own morning routine, but don’t know how, check out my free morning routine worksheet printable.
Related: 8 Benefits of a Morning Routine
Why is it so hard to wake up in the morning?
Because we are tired. Duh! Actually, though, there are multiple factors that affect how easy it is to wake up in the morning. Most of them are directly related to how much sleep you get at night. Factors that affect how much sleep you get are chronic pain, sleep apnea, or other conditions that keep you from getting a good night’s rest or slipping fully into that deep REM cycle. It could be because of anxiety or stress. Other sleeping disorders such as sleepwalking or insomnia could also play a part.
But, waking up in the morning can be difficult for other reasons as well. Have you ever met one of those people who always wake up at the same time every day alarm or no alarm? They used to annoy me to no end because I could hardly drag myself out of bed after my alarm went off at least three times. However, allowing your body to fall into a sleeping rhythm can help you wake up with more energy every morning because your body knows exactly what to expect out of the day. Do you have a set sleeping routine? Do you go to bed at the same time and wake up at the same time most days?
I know I didn’t, and waking up was always a huge struggle for me.
How can you wake up feeling refreshed?
How to do you beat the groggy, foggy mornings? These steps can help you wake up energized and refreshed every morning. No naps needed.
- Go to bed!
- Wake up at the same time every day.
- Get active in the morning.
- Eat healthy meals.
- Do not overextend yourself.
- Avoid relying on caffeine.
Go to bed!
You can only run so long on a little sleep. So, if you really want to wake up at 5 am in the morning, you need to set a realistic bedtime. Without that, creating the habit of waking up in the morning is going to be nearly impossible.
How much sleep do you need a night? The National Sleep Foundation recommends 7-9 hours of sleep a night for adults 18-64. Some people need more, but very few people function well on less. Decide how much sleep you would like, then set a bedtime accordingly. I aim for a solid 8 hours.
Wake up at the same time every day.
Once you pick your wake up time, stick with it. Wake up at that same time at least six days a week. Sticking to a routine allows your body to reset. It will get used to waking up at the same time everyday, and you will develop a natural routine. You might even notice you wake up without your alarm.
If you are inconsistent with your wake up time, your body is far less likely to get into a rhythm. You will have to reset every morning, and it will take you far longer to feel comfortable waking up early.
Get active in the morning.
When I first started waking up early, I made a big mistake. I would roll out of bed then head to the couch for a little reading time. I love to read, but my brain was not really awake and more often than not, I ended up asleep.
Getting active and moving around gets your blood flowing through your body and to your brain. Do some stretches or start sweating with cardio. Remember to breathe deeply. Your blood will bring new oxygen to your brain and help you wake up.
You don’t have to spend much time being active, but make it a priority. It will boost your energy and make you feel stronger and more motivated during the day.
Eat healthy meals.
Energy does come from calories, but eating empty calories are not doing much for your body. Eat a high protein breakfast with lots of nutrients. Go for a protein packed smoothie or a breakfast salad. Eat some eggs. Heck, eat some bacon. Your brain and body will thank you.
These are some of my favorite breakfast go to’s.
- Shaved Brussel Sprout Salad with fried eggs
- Avocado berry protein smoothie
- Jalepneo egg cups
- Keto french toast muffins
- Yogurt with soaked granola, nuts, and seeds
Do not overextend yourself.
When I started waking up early in the morning with more energy, I was able to get a lot more done every single morning. Starting the day on a productive note means I jumpstart my day for extra productivity.
A morning routine is a great time management strategy that can help you be super productive. But, be cautious not to overextend yourself. You still need to take time for self-care. Downtime and time to relax because without it you will overextend yourself to the point of exhaustion.
Avoid relying on caffeine.
Caffeine, oh how I love you! But relying on caffeine to give you energy in the morning is treating a symptom instead of the disease. Waking up with more energy has nothing to do with caffeine and everything to do with good habits and taking care of your body.
Build healthy habits, and make taking care of yourself a priority in your morning routine so you are energized without the reliance on caffeine.
Does that mean you have to avoid that yummy cuppa in the morning? Nope. Just make sure you have other, healthy activities in your routine to rely on. Caffeine should be a perk not your medicinal morning brew.
Related: How you should start your morning.
What is the best way to wake up in the morning?
Hmmmm. For me, it would be waking up in a cozy cabin on a mountaintop to see that fresh snow had fallen the night before and I could spend the whole day wrapped in a blanket reading a huge book with an endless pot of tea right next to me.
Well, that is my fantasy anyway. It doesn’t mean that is what is best for me. The best ways to wake up in the morning are
- Use music instead of an alarm.
Alarm noises are pretty awful. But, I actually kinda look forward to my alarm going off when I know it is playing an upbeat and fun tune. Program your alarm with a song that wakes you up and makes you feel happy in the morning.
- Put your alarm out of arm’s reach.
If you can slap the snooze without even moving, your alarm clock is too close. Make yourself work to press snooze. Put the alarm clock/phone where you will have to roll over, wiggle, or move in some way to hit that snooze.
- Open the blinds and get some natural light asap.
Are you a camper? I am. I love how awake I feel in the morning with the sun glowing through my tent. Natural light will help tell your brain it is time to wake up. Even if you wake up a little before the sun does, getting natural light as soon as possible is a great way to wake up.
- Drink a glass of water.
The first thing I do every morning is drink a glass of water. It is a great way to rehydrate myself and help me feel stronger and more awake.
- Do something for you.
Plan some self care in your morning routine. If you like to apply a mask or love to journal, make it a part of your morning routine.
Become a morning person.
Habits take time to build. Becoming a morning person took me about seven months. I’m still not entirely sure that I am a morning person. But, I wake up early with energy. Which is a huge change from how I used to wake up. *Cue horror music.*
Downoad a free morning routine worksheet to help you get started with your morning routine today.
What do you do to increase your energy in the morning? Leave a comment so we can do that too.
Related: How can I stay motivated to establish a morning routine?
